Global Interventions, Local Needs: A Feasibility Study of Social-Emotional Learning in Rural China

• In Event: Sociology of Education Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 15. International Schooling and Outcomes

Abstract

Introduction:
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs are school-based intervention frameworks focused on the systematic cultivation of students' social and emotional competencies, such as self-awareness, emotional regulation, and interpersonal skills. While SEL programs are supported by strong evidence demonstrating their effectiveness in Western countries, their transportability to non-Western, resource-constrained educational settings remains under-researched. This study examines whether Western-designed interventions can meaningfully address the institutional and psychological needs within the specific cultural conditions of rural China.

Methodology:
Using a qualitative feasibility design, this research focuses on a rural elementary school characterized by a high proportion of "left-behind children" (10-20% of the student body). Data were collected through 17 semi-structured interviews with school staff, including teachers and administrators. Analysis followed an inductive thematic approach to explore student behavioral challenges, institutional capacity, and the cultural adaptability of the intervention.

Findings:
The study identifies three core themes. First, a “systemic vacuum” exists in addressing pervasive low-level behavioral issues, leading to significant emotional exhaustion and burnout among teachers who lack standardized intervention mechanisms. Second, the “polarized emotional needs” of left-behind children—ranging from heightened aggression to extreme withdrawal—create an urgent demand for structured psychological support. Third, contrary to assumptions of cultural resistance, participants reported high cultural acceptability. Staff framed SEL as a necessary intervention and corrective to the local “exam factory” model, aligning SEL principles with Confucian ideals of self-cultivation (xiushen).

Discussion:
The primary barriers to SEL implementation in rural China are structural constraints, such as resource scarcity and large class sizes, rather than cultural incompatibility. This study contributes to the sociology of education and children by demonstrating how global intervention frameworks can fill institutional gaps. It challenges binary conceptions of Western interventions and provides empirical grounding for localizing mental health supports in non-Western contexts.

Author

• Yicong Guo, University of Washington